Marketing Tool

Entrepreneur Jason Busch is the envy of most business bloggers. He's pulling in $300,000 a year from his blog, www.spendmatters.com, and affiliated content aimed at procurement and supply-chain professionals, he said. By the end of 2009, Busch is targeting annual revenue of $1 million from his blog-based business, which also includes a Web site, podcasts, Webinars and speaking engagements, he said. That figure is on top of the consulting revenue he generates from Azul Partners, a strategy and...

After decades of debate, questions may finally be answered about whether anti-bacterial soaps - used daily in homes, schools and elsewhere - are safe. It's an important issue because many health officials say the products offer no benefit over washing with regular soap and water. The Food and Drug Administration on Monday proposed a rule that would force makers of anti-bacterial hand soaps and body washes to prove with clinical studies that their products are both safe to use and...

Buying a condominium is getting trickier for anyone who wants to put down only 3.5 percent and have the government insure their mortgage. The issue isn't just the borrower's financial wherewithal. It's the building's, and plenty of condos in Chicago and the suburbs no longer get a thumbs-up from the Federal Housing Administration. Since Feb. 1, 2010, condo buyers haven't been able to secure unit-by-unit "spot" approval for FHA-backed...

Guns like cigarettes Guns are the cigarettes of our time. Think of the parallels. Both products result in death when used as directed. Manufacturers of both cigarettes and firearms have gone to great lengths to obscure the mortality associated with their products. It wasn't until we reached a point when smoking accounted for a large percentage of all mortality that public opinion began to swing against Big Tobacco. Apparently we don't take action against a clear threat until we...

It's the first semifinal game among the Final Four in March Madness 2014. Favored Duke is down by nine points to traditional rival and national powerhouse Kansas with less than a minute to go in the game. Duke's consensus All-American point guard brings the ball up against the light-pressure defense of Kansas. He crosses the midcourt line, dribbles just short of the arc, and lets go a jump shot. Iconic CBS play-by-play announcer Jim Nantz calls the play: "It's good, for five ... " New score:...

Paul must earn trust David Teel Daily Press Chris Paul's effectiveness as president of the NBA players' union won't hinge on his All-Star resume. Sure, his status may generate some extra headlines for the union and its causes, but like any leader, Paul will be judged on his dedication to the job and the trust he earns from the organization. Players already admire Paul's talents, but for him to function best, they must respect his intellect and integrity and be...

After decades of debate, questions may finally be answered about whether anti-bacterial soaps - used daily in homes, schools and elsewhere - are safe. It's an important issue because many health officials say the products offer no benefit over washing with regular soap and water. The Food and Drug Administration on Monday proposed a rule that would force makers of anti-bacterial hand soaps and body washes to prove with clinical studies that their products are both safe to use and...

By Alexei Oreskovic SAN FRANCISCO, June 6 (Reuters) - Facebook Inc is eliminating various types of advertisements on its website in an effort to simplify a system that it acknowledged was confusing marketers. The world's No. 1 social network, which is seeking to revive revenue growth, will still display ads inside users' newsfeeds and on the right-hand side of its webpages. But it will sharply reduce the options marketers can choose for those so-called ad ...

April 27 (Reuters) - Shares of Constant Contact Inc fell as much as 17 percent to a three-month low after the online marketer forecast second-quarter adjusted profit below estimates, as the company is still a long way from converting free users of its Facebook marketing tool to paying customers. Shares of the company were trading down 14 percent at $24.36 in morning trade on Friday on the Nasdaq. The company on Thursday forecast second-quarter adjusted ...

Beyond their good works, Roger Ebert and Gene Siskelâs TV showcase helped simplify film criticism, bringing a gladiatorial thumbs-up or thumbs-down ruthlessness to such analysis. It was also a handy marketing tool, which is worth considering as we enter the summer movie season, when negative reviews are deemed about as effective as trying to stop Iron Man by throwing paper clips. The irony is that while a certain breed of movie blockbusters appear invulnerable to critical...

Shares of Groupon were on the rise Monday, rebounding from weeks of declines as the company released an upbeat letter to stockholders from co-founder and Chief Executive Andrew Mason. Shares were up 5 percent, or 50 cents, to $10.47. The letter, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as part of the company's annual report, acknowledged Groupon's troubles since going public in November and outlined its vision for becoming "the operating system for local commerce. " ...

Groupon Inc.'s beleaguered shares got a boost Monday after the company released an upbeat letter to stockholders from co-founder and Chief Executive Andrew Mason. Shares closed up 4.9 percent, or 49 cents, at $10.46. The letter, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as part of the company's annual report, acknowledged Groupon's troubles since its November initial public offering and outlined its vision for becoming "the operating system for local commerce. " ...

Groupon Inc.'s beleaguered shares got a boost Monday after the company released an upbeat letter to stockholders from co-founder and Chief Executive Andrew Mason. Shares closed up 4.9 percent, or 49 cents, at $10.46. The letter, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as part of the company's annual report, acknowledged Groupon's troubles since its November initial public offering and outlined its vision for becoming "the operating system for local commerce. " ...

Shares of Groupon were on the rise Monday, rebounding from weeks of declines as the company released an upbeat letter to stockholders from co-founder and Chief Executive Andrew Mason. Shares were up 5 percent, or 50 cents, to $10.47. The letter, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as part of the company's annual report, acknowledged Groupon's troubles since going public in November and outlined its vision for becoming "the operating system for local commerce. " ...

The Chicago Metro Ethics Coalition, a group of business, civic and religious leaders, announced its opposition Tuesday to Mayor Richard Daley's proposal to develop casino gambling in the city. The coalition's stance, delivered by the group's board of directors, is based on a study of the issues and a series of public hearings, said co-chairman Keith Schulz. In particular, board members said, the proposal is a flawed method of raising money that will be accompanied by a slew...

April 27 (Reuters) - Shares of Constant Contact Inc fell as much as 17 percent to a three-month low after the online marketer forecast second-quarter adjusted profit below estimates, as the company is still a long way from converting free users of its Facebook marketing tool to paying customers. Shares of the company were trading down 14 percent at $24.36 in morning trade on Friday on the Nasdaq. The company on Thursday forecast second-quarter adjusted ...

We have recently discovered simplicity--and its power as a marketing tool. Americans of the late 20th Century have a habit of discovering the obvious as if we invented it, of trumpeting the ancient and the ordinary as today's late-breaking trend. We are the people who discovered coffee and bread and water as if no one in history had ever consumed these exotic and astonishing delights. Coffee shops, bakeries and plain old H2O were not hip enough for us. We covered...

Mary Beth West is leaving a stable of mature grocery brands like Maxwell House and Kraft cheese to focus on selling packaged snacks around the world. But she isn't going far. West is chief marketing officer at Northfield-based Kraft Foods, which will spin off its $18 billion North American grocery business later this year. That company will retain the Kraft Foods name. The remaining $35 billion global snacking company, which will have its...

Diann Russell and Tamara Jackson first met as actresses in a community theater production of "Man of La Mancha." These days, the two run TesserAct Theatre Ensemble, a company that steers clear of shows like "La Mancha." Instead of the Broadway fare that forms the staple repertoire of most community theaters, TesserAct concentrates on producing original material. "For me, community theater is all about using the talent that's here in the community to come up with something new, instead of doing `The Sound of...